Al-Shabaab Targets Turkish Officials in Somalia

Al-Shabaab, the Somali-based Islamic extremist group, targeted a Turkish delegation meeting at a hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia on Thursday. At about 2:45 p.m. local time, a car full of explosives intentionally crashed into a convoy transporting Turkish ministry officials. The method of attack suggests that Al-Shabaab somehow had intelligence of when and where the officials would be arriving.

While the suicide car bomber failed in his objective, he killed at least five Somali policemen and one civilian. Al-Shabaab took credit for the attack, which came the day before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan planned to arrive in Somalia. He has, however, slightly delayed his visit to attend the funeral of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah.

Ali Mohamud Rage, a spokesman for the group, stated the bomb was meant for Turkish officials. Turkey has been heavily involved in Somalia the past few years investing in infrastructure and other kinds of reconstruction while leaving a strong foothold. Al-Shabaab claims that Turkey is secularizing Somalia and is a foreign presence interfering in local affairs.

Beyond the violent act itself, this incident illustrates that the relationship between Ankara and Mogadishu is a significant aspect of Somali politics. Turkey has taken a strong interest in the east African state in recent years, and both sides have formed a close link. On August 19, 2011, then Prime Minister Erdogan visited Mogadishu. This trip marked the first time a non-African leader entered Somalia’s capital since 1991, when the country’s last effective government fell. Erdogan’s arrival came while Somalia and the entire Horn of Africa were undergoing a terrible drought. The relationship started before 2011, but since then, it has blossomed.

Ankara has opened an embassy in Mogadishu and built an airport. In March 2012, Turkish Airlines (THY) started sending flights there. Further, Turkey has given hundreds of millions of dollars to Somalia for various development projects and humanitarian aid. According to International Monetary Fund estimates from October 2011, Turkey gave more aid to Somalia than any other country when comparing the amount given to the countries’ gross national incomes. This assistance has continued through today as indicated by Erdogan’s imminent visit.

Turkey says that their Somali presence is humanitarian rather than strategic, but there are many reasons why the Turks have taken such an interest in Somalia and invested vast sums of money into a country that is often in chaos. While both states share the heritage of the Ottoman Empire, one of Ankara’s biggest motivations is to tap into African markets to broaden its economic reach; this goes hand-in-hand with an attempt to expand global influence. The Horn of Africa can be a great place for natural resources and a new market to further distance itself from European trade. Beyond pure economics, Ankara sees Somalia as an opportunity to gain a benevolent reputation in sub-Saharan Africa and exert more power.

Another possible factor in Ankara’s thinking may be that Somalia has a population of mainly Sunni Muslims. Turkey is also a primarily Sunni nation and becoming increasingly Islamic. This religious link could play a role in Turkey’s efforts. Relating to this point is Turkey’s goal to combat Iran’s influence in Africa. Iran is a Shia nation trying to achieve regional hegemony, so Sunni Muslims, including Turkey, have religious reasons for wanting to stop Iran. At least as important are geopolitical factors. Since both Iran and Turkey are seeking regional dominance, their interests often collide. Iran has ties to various African states including Somalia. Tehran is looking for new political and economic partners, and Somalia’s geographic location by the Gulf of Aden, an important shipping lane for Iran, is one of many reasons why it has sought relations with Somalia. Naturally, Turkey wants to combat any Iranian expansion.

The Turkish-Somali relationship is a multi-faceted situation with larger implications. It relates to the broader geopolitical power struggle going on amongst Middle Eastern states and shows Africa’s importance to outside actors. The Mogadishu terror attack indicates that Al-Shabaab will continue to use violence to make its presence known in Somalia, which will have consequences for east Africa and Turkish-Somali relations.